By Marie Holmes
On Monday, May 16, the Community Board 7 Parks & Environment Committee passed resolutions recommending the approval of two major renovation projects in Riverside Park and Central Park.
The committee voted unanimously in favor of an upgrade to the drainage system in Riverside Park between 108th and 116th Streets, as well as a renovation to Central Park’s North Meadow Center building and recreation facilities.
Riverside Park
Nick Catalano, lead engineer on the Riverside Park project, said the goal was “to restore the existing drainage system to working condition, mainly to reduce the flooding risk in the park.” Because of its low elevation and waterfront location, the park receives a great deal of runoff during heavy rainstorms, and the drainage system in its current state is insufficient to cope with heavy flow from storms, leading to damage and erosion.
Catalano shared dramatic photos of rainwater cascading down the steps leading to the lower park at 112th Street, as well as the bodies of water that form after heavy rain in the lower park which local residents have dubbed Riverside Lake One, Two and Three. “You get these areas where you just wait for it to evaporate,” explained Catalano.
Improvement plans include replacing nonstandard gratings on drains with designs less likely to clog, and the creation of rain gardens and swales — landscaped areas where water can be redirected to drain before pooling into “lakes.” Piping beneath the lower portion of the park that moves water out to the Hudson would also be replaced, and a drainage ditch would be added running parallel to the retention wall.
Catalano said that they hope to finalize the design in December, with construction beginning a year after the final design is approved. Work would occur on the upper and lower park levels at different times, and a 5 to 8 foot stretch would be maintained at all times to preserve pedestrian access throughout the park.
Central Park
Lane Addonizio, Associate Vice President for Planning at the Central Park Conservancy, outlined the proposed renovations to the North Meadow Recreation Center, which sits in the middle of the park, above the reservoir.
Constructed in 1910 as an operations facility for the park, the center originally included a manure pit and refuse incinerator. In 1934, Robert Moses became Parks Commissioner, and during his tenure additions to the North Meadow Center included ballfields, handball and horseshoe courts, public restrooms and boiler rooms.
Proposed renovations, totalling about $20 million, include repaving the existing basketball courts and creating a new court in what is now being used as a parking area. This space is available as the park converts its vehicle fleet to a smaller number of electric golf carts.
Handball and pickleball courts will be refurbished and repainted. The exact number of handball versus pickleball courts remains to be determined, said Addonizio, who said that the Conservancy is “looking to balance and accommodate as many people as possible,” noting that pickleball has gained in popularity over the past couple of years. No fees will be charged for use of the courts.
Restrooms will be moved to the building’s center and resized. Bob Rumsey, the Conservancy’s Studio Director for Landscape Architecture, noted that current restrooms are disproportionate, with the men’s room occupying more space, perhaps because it was initially assumed that more men than women would play sports on the courts. Renovations will include the addition of gender-neutral family restrooms. New water fountains will function year round and include bottle fillers.
At the meeting’s end, committee members noted that the problem of off-leash dogs on the lawn in Theodore Roosevelt Park seems to have been resolved by the increase in ticketing there, and that the grass looks “lush” and “beautiful.”
Can we find out if there is any schedule for renovations to the soldiers and sailors monument?
Riverside Park’s problem is simply erosion. We need more underbrush, more trees, less raking.
“and creating a new court in what is now being used as a parking area. ”
Can I see the hands of anyone who really believes a parking lot will be returned to actual recreation use? Do I count a thousand? A hundred? A dozen? Even one???
Just FYI. The sector of the “parking lot” referred to has been re-zoned” into a basketball court for at least ten years. Power to the People!
Any chance that the path by the tennis center will be repaved; it is in bad shape and dangerous to walk on.
It appears there is resurfacing of walkways in many areas of the park which is wonderful but the small stretch on east side between 79th and 83rd Street has been neglected even though full of potholes and ruts which flood in wet weather. This is adjacent to the playground and open space – gets many people walking, baby carriages, wheel chairs and bikers so attention would be appreciated by local residents!
The recent re-seeding of the Riverside Park lawns between 95th Street and the Community Garden has been successful (!) and grass is now growing in areas that had been mud-pits. Many thanks to the Riverside Park Conservancy for tending to this matter. While the drainage efforts referenced in the article will prove enormously effective as well, this new lawn is a big improvement in a short period of time. Great to see!
Yes, I agree about the re-seeding! Best of all, the area was re-seeded in a day or two, via some kind of spray – and, importantly, without having to fence off this valuable family oriented “sandlot” for months! (This was the case with a number of previous FAILED efforts to plant grass.)
So my congratulations to the person or people who adopted this sophisticated and so far effective method!
(And even if the grass only lasts a season or less, it’s already a success!)
Delighted to see they are going to have rain gardens as part of the solution to flooding in Riverside Park. Somebody had on a creative thinking cap!
….and when is the NYC parks dept. going to address the ongoing graft that plagues the signing at the tennis house?
A number of tennis instructors are using the the Hartley cts every day to get pay for their teaching. This is in conjunction with the tennis signing staff who collects money from these tennis instructors in exchange for courts space. This goes on every day throughout the day. These teaching person s move from court to a different client. This activity is facilitated by the tennis signing staff who collect “play for pay” from these instructors.
This is an ongoing problem the parks dept. has failed to correct. M.s. Doughnahue do something about this!
Thanks for the piece about Riverside Park. I wonder if it means only the upper part of the park. At 80th Street there is a mud basin for days after anything wet. Last year the repaired the eastern part of the road leading to the promenade but not the wet, muddy western side. Any info?
Thank you Planning Board 7. The Japanese American Association has not been able to have its Tanabata Festival for several years because of the “Pond” and Covid. I look forward to seeing the work started. The telescopes were able to be so well placed on the 116th Street lower platform. Hope you can join us to see the stars and hear the Tanabata story. Again thank you, Suki Ports
Where do we begin the recitation of the neglect of Riverside Park? Number One is the deliberate neglect of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. This dates to Councilmember Gail Brewer’s first term a decade ago. Nothing done since but the erection of an ugly chain link fence to prevent the skateboarders from doing more damage to the crumbling facade and water-damaged structure. The $20 million estimate then is probably double that now. It will fall into terminal disrepair.
Slight correction – Brewer first served on the city council in 2002, two decades ago now, not one. She’s entering her third decade in office.
Plant more trees and fix all the retaining walls and staircases.
Riverside Park at 96th St. also has a pond when it rains (west of the RSD road, eastside of main path with the octagonal pavers).